I'm Right Here
by Jynxpixie
Summary: Songfic. Grandma Manson just died and Sam just realized how much she counted on her grandmother. Can her best friend keep her together? No pairings, ONESHOT.


Sam lay on her bed, hugging her pillow tightly. She had always prided herself on being strong, on expressing her grief through something other than tears.

However, now she didn't care. Her grandmother had died, her only blood relative she had felt even remotely close to, the only person in this stupid house that had tried to understand her, who had accepted her for who she was. She remembered the nights when she'd stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, talking about anything while her parents slept. Sam remembered the look of love that remained in her grandmother's eyes more often than any other emotion. The wacky expressions she'd make. The many games of bowling and bingo they'd played together.

That was all gone, along with Sam's normal rule of no tears. She cried freely, wishing more than ever that her grandmother was there to comfort her now. Her parents had tried, but their soothing words had only made things worse. Like there was no reason for Sam to cry; _everything would be fine_.

That was probably the worst crap Sam had heard out of her parents mouths as of yet. She could see they were hurting too, maybe even as bad as she was.

But now, she was alone. She couldn't go to school on Monday. Not Tuesday, either, preferably not at all this week. Or this month. She couldn't take the normal pressures of high school on top of this. She wouldn't be able to not be on Tucker's case for eating 3 million hot dogs a minute, or tearing Paulina's eyes out every time Danny looked her way or vice-versa.

Tucker. Danny. At least she still had them. She wasn't sure what she'd do if she lost them, too. Sam broke out in renewed sobs onto her pillow. She didn't care how wet her cheeks were. She'd cry if she darn well felt like it, and heaven knew she felt like crying right now.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Danny. His fingers were cold (so he was in Phantom form), which were welcome on her overheated, emotionally-wrought body.

"Sam," he said gently, "Do you want me here, or do you want me to leave?" He knew that his friend was bent on doing things on her own, but he also knew that despite what people said or did, their thoughts or feelings would contradict their words and actions.

Sam looked at him, her eyes red and puffy. She was still crying, but she had silenced herself, a little embarrassed to be found like this. But as she looked into his face, she saw concern, and she jumped up and hugged him, her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. Her tears soaked through the spandex, and he patted her on the back, awkwardly. However, as Sam continued to cling to him, he held her tighter, afraid that she might collapse if he didn't.

**I'll be right here when you need me**

**Anytime just keep believing**

**And I'll be**

**Right here**

"Danny," she whispered into his shoulder, suddenly feeling ashamed that he had seen her so out of her normal controlled zone. With Tucker being…._Tucker_, and Jaz being his overprotective sister, she felt it was her responsibility to be the stable one, and here he was, comforting her as she had her melt down.

"Sam, it's gonna be okay," Danny said softly. He immediately regretted these words, though, because Sam pulled away and glared at him.

"Okay? _Okay?_ How? How is any of this okay?" She stomped her foot, and Danny had to repress a laugh at this action. "Darn it, it's not okay! It's far from okay, it's so – so – UGH!" She threw up her hands, and her eyes started brimming with tears again. "It's so NOT okay!" she yelled. Sam plopped down again. She was holding her throat, like it hurt to talk. She tried to tell Danny off again, but it was getting harder to breath. Danny sat down next to her and patted her back gently as she started sobbing again. "Sh – she's _gone_, Danny. I'm never gonna see her again."

**If you ever need a friend**

**Someone to care and understand**

**I'll be**

**Right here**

She leaned against his arm, and she shuddered. Danny turned human and started stroking her hair in comfort. She bit her lip so she wouldn't start wailing. She was so glad that she had a friend as good as Danny to help her through this.

"I know, Sam," Danny said to her. "It's not okay that she went before you thought you were ready for her to go." Danny briefly remembered when his grandfather had died from lung cancer, the pain he'd felt. But he was here for Sam. "It's painful, isn't it? Heart-wrenching to have someone you love gone from you." Sam nodded, relieved and saddened even more that her feelings were put into words. For them to at least start to make sense. "But think of the good things," he continued. "She knew you loved her. She didn't die thinking anything else."

Sam started crying again, and Danny started to panic, thinking it was something he said. He didn't want to put Sam in any more pain then she already was. But she said nothing. Danny just put her head into his lap, and she curled up as he continued to stroke her hair. They were like that for a while.

"Thank you," she said weakly. "Thanks for coming, Danny. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he told her. "There's no reason to feel guilty. If you need me, I'm here."

**All you have to do is call my name**

**No matter how close or far away**

**Ask me once**

**And I'll come**

**I'll come runnin'**

Her parents were merciful and didn't make Sam go to school that week, but they did tell her that she would have to go the next week. Danny came over every day, sometimes with Tucker. But she felt uncomfortable around them, alienated. Like they were different. But Sam knew they hadn't changed. She had grown emotionally, and she was scared what this meant for her. And she was still full of the pain that had been left when her grandmother died, though it had lessened somewhat.

"Danny," she said one day when was over without Tucker. "You guys think I'm okay, right?" It would be worse than having them both leave her forever if they just grew apart. She wouldn't be able to handle it.

Danny had noticed that Sam was growing more quiet and withdrawn. He could only hope that this change wasn't permanent. He'd always be her friend and support her, of course, but he'd miss her outspoken personality. He didn't know that Sam was growing more insecure with herself. She knew Danny was right when he said that her grandma died, she had known Sam loved her. But what else had her grandma thought of Sam? That she was immature? Or maybe she thought she was silly for falling so hard for Danny? Grandma Manson had told Sam constantly how smart she was, and how beautiful she was, but now with her gone, Sam was thrown into doubt. Her parents certainly thought these things about her. Why not her own grandmother?

So now she was afraid. She cared about Danny and Tucker. They all fought ghosts, and she knew that there were ghosts that were stronger and/or smarter than Danny; the only advantage that Danny had over those enemies was his humanity, his way of thinking. But what would happen when those advantages weren't enough? And, if – Sam defiantly hoped it was an _if_ – this happened, would she have been a good friend to Danny while he'd lived? Would she have been too pushy? Not caring enough?

It was in fear of the answers to these questions that she had asked for confirmation of being alright. That she would be accepted by her friends no matter what.

What Danny also didn't know was how much rode on his answer to her question. But he knew what she wanted to hear, and he also knew how much what she wanted to hear was true. "Sam, you know more than that eating animals is wrong, that Tucker and I will always be here for you. Even when you can't see us or talk to us."

Sam nodded, like she believed him, but Danny wasn't sure whether or not he had convinced her.

**And when I can't with you**

**Dream me near**

**Keep me in your heart**

**And I'll appear**

"Sam," he said firmly. She kept her face away from Danny's, desperate not to make eye contact. He grabbed her shoulders, and turned her toward him. She bit her lip, looking down, up, anywhere but his face. This hurt Danny more than the accident that had half killed him. "Sam," he said softly. She finally looked at him. "We all still love you. Me, Tucker, my family, his family, and even your parents." She smiled in amusement at that. "Especially me and tucker. We'll be right here whenever you need us. Just look for us."

They stood like that for a few seconds, and then Sam hugged him again. He hugged her back. They stood, silent.

**All you gotta do is turn around**

**Close your eyes**

**Look inside**

**I'm right here**

It was Monday. Sam had carefully assembled her wardrobe for that day. For the first time, she regretted her normal black and lavender assemble, because when she wore all black today, no one would understand that it really meant something.

But when Danny came to walk with her to school (Tucker was home sick), him and Sam shared a glance that told her that one of the people that she really wanted to know the special meaning, did, in fact, know. They walked in silence, as if sharing memories of Sam's late grandmother. Danny respected Sam's lack of words, and smiled at her whenever she looked his way. Sam found herself grateful for what seemed the billionth time that Danny and Tucker understood her need for them, and, even better, that it didn't affect they're friendship at all. That they'd always be there for her no matter what happened.

**Isn't it great **

**That you know that**

**I'm ready to go**

**Wherever you're at**

**Anywhere**

**I'll be there**

Sam had finally got it. She would always miss her grandmother, always be sad that she had left, always have a spot in her heart that no one would enter but Grandma Manson. But she would move on with her life, knowing that there were people who cared about her, who respected her, even with Sam's grandmother gone.

Thank heaven she had Danny and Tucker.

**All you have to do is call my name**

**No matter how close or far away**

**Ask me once**

**And I'll come**

**I'll come runnin'**

**And when I can't with you**

**Dream me near**

**Keep me in your heart**

**And I'll appear**

Thank heaven she had Danny and Tucker.

**Whenever you need me**

**There's no need to worry**

**You know that I'm gonna be**

**Right here!**

**Ask me once**

**And I'll come**

**I'll come runnin'**

**And when I can't with you**

**Dream me near**

**Keep me in your heart**

**And I'll appear**

**All you gotta do is turn around**

**Close your eyes**

**Look inside**

**I'm right here**

**Oh yeah**

**Yeah**

**I'm right here**

Danny Phantom and any related characters © Butch Hartman

Song "I'm Right Here" © Miley Cyrus


End file.
